§ MR. T. M. HEALYI beg to ask the First Lord of the Treasury if he has been able to obtain a draft of the letter of Cardinal Rampolla to Monsignor Pace, relating to the ignorance of the Maltese clergy alleged by Sir Lintorn Simmons; and will it be laid before the House?
§ THE FIRST LORD OF THE TREASURY (Mr. W. H. SMITH, Strand, Westminster)This letter has not been communicated officially to Her Majesty's Government, and they have no authority to lay it before the House. It has, however, been published in Malta with the Bishop's Pastoral.
§ MR. T. M. HEALYIs the right hon. Gentleman aware of the pledge given by Cardinal Rampolla, and recorded in the papers, about the communication of documents? I apprehend that the letter has already been communicated to the Foreign Office.
§ MR. W. H. SMITHAccording to the information I have received it has not been communicated to the Foreign Office.